Grassy Bald (Grass Subtype)

GRASSY BALD (GRASS SUBTYPE) Concept: Grassy Bald (Grass Subtype) is a natural high elevation meadow with a dense herb layer dominated by grasses, though patches of forbs and sedges are present and some examples now have extensive patches of shrubs or Rubus. Grassy Balds have well-developed soils that contrast with those of rock outcrop communities and glades. Danthonia compressa is typically the dominant grass, but pasture grasses such as Phleum pratense may become abundant in the more heavily grazed examples. Distinguishing Features: Grassy Balds are distinguished from other natural communities by the natural dominance of dense herbaceous vegetation in high elevation upland sites that are not rock outcrops or glades. Small rock outcrops and shallow soil patches may be embedded but do not make up most of the area. High Elevation Rocky Summit communities, in contrast, contain substantial bare rock, though they may contain small patches of herbaceous vegetation with some of the same species. High Elevation Mafic Glades and Low Elevation Acidic or Basic Glades contain more grass but are clearly related to shallow soil. True Grassy Balds can be difficult to distinguish from old high elevation pastures and burn scars. Some extensive grassy areas, e.g. Graveyard Fields and areas near Mount Mitchell, are known to have originated from logging and burning of spruce-fir forest in the 1900s and should not be regarded as Grassy Balds. The classification should be used only if there is reason to believe an area has been grassy from prehistoric times. Artificial grasslands may be dominated by Danthonia compressa but are less likely to contain rare plants and more often contain substantial weedy flora. However, heavily grazed natural Grassy Balds also may contain weedy flora, and many have been invaded by Rubus or various shrubs and are no longer herb dominated. Some examples may remain ambiguous. The Grass Subtype is distinguished from the Sedge Subtype by dominance of grasses, usually Danthonia compressa, rather than Carex spp. It is distinguished from the Alder Subtype by the absence of substantial cover of Alnus crispa. Synonyms: Danthonia compressa - (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata) Herbaceous Vegetation (CEGL004242). Ecological Systems: Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald (CES202.294). Sites: Grassy Balds occur on gentle to moderate slopes, ridgetops, and broad domes at high elevation. Examples range from around 5000 feet to over 6000 feet in elevation. Soils: Grassy Balds occur on relatively deep soils, where tree presence apparently is not precluded by soil depth. Most are mapped as the Burton series (Typic Haplumbrept). Cain (1931) found that Grassy Bald soils in the Smokies were less acidic than other soils at similar elevations, although it is unclear that this causes the distinctive vegetation rather than results from it. Hydrology: Grassy Balds generally occur on high convex slopes and are well drained, though seeps may be embedded in them. They are mesic due to high rainfall, frequent fog, and low temperatures, but are exposed to drying winds. Vegetation: Grassy Balds are characteristically dominated by dense herbaceous vegetation, with Danthonia compressa the dominant species. Patches may be dominated by Sibbaldia retusa (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata), Packera schweinitziana, or Rumex acetosella. Other frequent herbs in CVS plot data include Carex pensylvanica, Pilosella (Deschampsia) caespitosa, Potentilla simplex, Poa compressa, Achillea borealis, Carex brunnescens var. sphaerostachya, and Athyrium asplenioides. Phleum pratense, Poa compressa, and Poa pratensis are also fairly frequent, presumably because of a history of grazing. Other species less frequent in plots but often prominent in observations include Houstonia serpyllifolia, Fragaria virginiana, Lilium grayi, Athyrium angustum, Athyrium asplenioides, Gentiana austromontana, and the moss Polytrichum commune. Balds may be purely herbaceous or may have shrubs and trees of varying density. Rubus canadensis or Rubus alleghaniensis have invaded many balds that were grazed and then removed from grazing and may be dominant over large patches where not kept in check by deliberate management. Vaccinium altomontanum, Rhododendron calendulaceum, Rhododendron catawbiense, Vaccinium simulatum, Kalmia latifolia, Menziesia pilosa, Abies fraseri, Picea rubens, Fagus grandifolia, and Quercus rubra may be present in sparse-to-moderate density. These species too are considered invaders and may eventually shade out the herb layer. Range and Abundance: Ranked G1. Only a few examples are known, scattered throughout the higher mountains from the Great Smoky Mountains northward. The overall abundance and range is confused by the presence of ambiguously natural grassy areas in several places and the widespread use of the term bald for artificial grasslands. This community is nearly endemic to North Carolina, but a few examples occur in adjacent Tennessee and Virginia. Associations and Patterns: The Grass Subtype may be associated with the Sedge Subtype and on Roan Mountain, the Alder Subtype. Grassy Balds are sometimes associated with Heath Balds, High Elevation Red Oak Forest, or Northern Hardwood Forest. High Elevation Rocky Summit or High Elevation Boggy Seep patches may be embedded. Transitions to adjacent forests sometimes seem gradual, sometimes abrupt. Because of recent management and unknown past management, it is impossible to know the nature of natural ecotones. Even examples of natural origin were grazed and may have been expanded by clearing at their edges. Encroachment of shrubs and trees into Grassy Bald often appears to progress from the edges. Variation: Balds vary widely in dominant plants from site to site and within sites. Sites vary with grazing history, exposure, and unknown factors. Dynamics: The factors that produced and maintained Grassy Balds have been the subject of intense scientific interest over the years, and much has been written about them, but consensus has not been reached (see Smathers 1980, summary by Peterson 1980, and views expressed in Billings and Mark 1957, Bratton and White 1980, Brown 1941, Cain 1931, Gersmehl 1973, Lindsay and Bratton 1976a, 1976b, Lindsay and Bratton 1980, Mark 1958, Smathers 1980, Stratton and White 1982, and Wells 1937, 1956). Hypotheses of origin include human action such as clearing and grazing of cattle by early settlers; clearing and burning by Native Americans; presettlement grazing and trampling by native large mammals; natural disturbances such as fire, windthrow, or insects; and changing climatic conditions. New Grassy Balds are not being created from forests at present, and existing examples do not seem to be maintaining themselves. Johnson (1995) documented the loss of grassy area in the Craggy Mountains, and a management team has tracked the changes in Grassy Balds at Roan Mountain for decades. The question of the origin of Grassy Balds is given urgency by their ecological instability at present. All examples appear to be experiencing invasion by shrubs or trees, though trees are much slower to establish and spread than in disturbed forests. Balds that are not actively being managed to remove woody vegetation are losing their open grassy character. The question of recent human creation is confused by the existence of grassy areas that clearly are recently created, either by logging and burning of spruce-fir forests or by clearing and grazing by early settlers. Some of these areas have place names of “bald” and are treated as grassy balds by some authors. However, there is evidence that other grassy areas were present when settlers arrived, and these are the focus of the Grassy Bald community defined here. Though Grassy Balds are not floristically similar to northern alpine tundra (Stratton and White 1982), and many of their species are present in other open natural communities, they likely developed from Pleistocene alpine tundra that is generally believed to have existed in the Southern Appalachians. The balds contain some shade-intolerant species, such as Packera schweinitziana and Sibbaldiopsis tridentata, which are not in surrounding forests. Such species are not observed spreading into new sites, and their presence suggests great antiquity for balds such as those on Roan Mountain. The potential for creation by Native Americans is more difficult to rule out, given their longer tenancy and the range of possible human behavior. However, the sites of Grassy Balds are not suited for agriculture or long-term settlement and were not particularly close to Native American settlements. Prehistoric people hunted throughout the region and ignited fires throughout the region, but there is no reason to expect them to have focused such activities on particular ridge tops sufficiently to replace forest with grassland. With the exception of spruce-fir forests, even severely burned forest areas quickly begin returning to tree cover. Only frequent burning, more frequent than either the natural or anthropogenic background rate, or ongoing cattle grazing, will prevent tree establishment. More plausibly, the previous existence of grassy meadows led to a focus on such places for cattle grazing and, probably in earlier times, for hunting. Weigl and Knowles (2013) discuss several such lines of evidence against human creation of Grassy Balds. Known natural disturbances do not seem sufficient to explain the origin or persistence of Grassy Balds. Where forests have been disturbed by wind storms, ice storms, or natural fire at high elevations,

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